Variable speed filling machine with successively actuated clutches



Sept. 15, 1964 e. A. E. WEBB VARIABLE SPEED FILLING MACHINE WITH SUCCESSIVELY ACTUATED CLUTCHES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 17, 1963 Sept. 15, 1964 G. A. E. WEBB 3,148,302

VARIABLE SPEED FILLING MACHINE WITH SUCCESSIVELY ACTUATED CLUTCHES Filed Sept. 1'7, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent This invention relates to filling machines for use in filling containers with materials in solid, discrete form or in pasty form, such machines being of the kind which includes mechanism for stirring a quantity of material in a supply hopper and feeding mechanism for delivering material from the hopper to containers as required, said feeding mechanism being adapted to be intermittently actuated.

The object of the present invention is to provide such a filling machine in a new or improved form.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a filling machine of the kind specified wherein the feeding mechanism is provided with drive means which includes a pair of clutches which each have an input member arranged to be driven by a power unit and an output member connected to the feeding mechanism there being also provided means for successively actuating said clutches which are arranged so as in operation to drive the feeding mechanism at different speeds, the arrangement being such that in any cycle of operation of the feeding mechanism, the clutch providing a higher rate of feed will operate before the clutch providing a lower rate of feed.

Preferably, the input members of the clutches (which may be operated electro-magnetically) are driven by a single electric driving motor and the same motor (or a different motor) may be used to drive the stirring mechanism. Said driving motor may be drivingly connected by belts or gears or in any other convenient way so that the input members of the clutches are driven at different speeds by said motor and the two clutches may be successively actuated automatically at times depending upon predetermined angular orientations of the feeding mechanism.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation, partly in section of an eX ample of a filling machine in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of a timing mechanism forming part of the machine shown in FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 3 is an electrical circuit diagram of the controls of the machine shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawings, the machine includes a hopper 1 having at its lower end an outlet tube 2. Disposed within the hopper 1 and projecting into the outlet tube 2 is a feed screw 3 mounted on the lower end of a vertical shaft 4. The shaft 4 carries at its upper end a bevel gear wheel 5 engaging a bevel gear wheel 6 mounted on the end of a horizontal shaft 7.

Adjacent the opposite end of the shaft 7 the output members of a pair of electromagnetically operable clutches, 8, 9, are secured, said output members carrying coils 8a and 9a and the clutches 8, 9 co-operating respectively with a pair of clutch plates 10, 11. The clutch plates 10, 11 form input members of the respective clutches and are mounted respectively on a pair of sleeves 12, 13 rotatably mounted on the shaft 7. The clutch plates and the sleeves are splined together so that the plates are rotatable with the sleeves but are each axially movable relative thereto.

The machine also includes an electric driving motor 14, the shaft of which carries a small sprocket 15 and a pair of pulleys 16, 17 (of which the pulley 17 is larger than the pulley 16). A chain 18 connects the sprocket 15 to a relatively large chainwheel 119 keyed to the sleeve 13. Keyed tothe sleeve 12 are a pair of pulleys 20, 21, the pulley 20 being of the same size as the pulley 16 and the pulley 21 being smalier than the pulley 17. A belt 22 is arranged to interconnect either pulley 16 with pulley 20 to provide a 1:1 speed ratio or pulley 17 with pulley 21 to provide a speed ratio greater than unity. Thus when the motor shaft is rotating the clutch plate 10 rotates more rapidly than the clutch plate 11. For this reason the clutch 8 will be referred to hereinafter as the fast speed clutch and the clutch 9 will be referred to as the slow speed clutch.

Mounted on a stationary part 23 of the machine is an electromagnetic brake 24 carrying a coil 24a which co-acts with a brake plate 25 splined onto a sleeve 26 secured to the shaft '7. Secured to the shaft 7 between the brake 24 and the fast speed clutch 8 isa sprocket 27 which is connected by a chain 28 to a sprocket 29 secured to the input shaft 30 of a reduction gear box 31. The output of the gearbox 31 drives a sprocket 32 which is connected by means of a chain 33 to a sprocket 34.

The sprocket is secured to a tubular shaft 35 connected to a stirring mechanism including a pair of adjustable stirring elements 36 disposed within the hopper 1.

A projecting peg 37 is secured eccentrically to the sprocket 29 and projects into a slot in a disc 38 mounted on the input shaft 39 of a timing mechanism 40. This mechanism, which is shown most clearly in FIGURE 2, includes a housing 44, in which a shaft 41 is rotatably mounted. The shaft 41 has a wormwheel 43 rotatably mounted upon it, the wormwheel 43 being engaged by a worm 42 secured to the input shaft 39. Secured to the worm wheel 43 is a sleeve 45 which projects into the in terior of a control clutch coil 46. Slidably mounted on the shaft 41 is a further sleeve 47 which projects into the coil 46 from the opposite end thereof. The sleeve 47 is formed of a suitable ferrous material and is formed at its end remote from the sleeve 45 with a diametral slot into which a projection on a dog 48, secured to the shaft 41, projects.

Secured to the shaft 41 externally of the housing 44 is a pair of cams 49, 5d controlling respectively a pair of microswitches 51, 52. i

Secured to the shaft 41 on the side of the wormwheel 43 remote from the sleeve 45 is a bossed disc 53 and mounted on the boss of the disc 53 is resilient means in the form of a spiral torsion spring 54. The spring-54 is secured at its inner end to the boss and at its outer end to the housing 44. Projecting from the disc 53 isan eccentric projection 55 which is urged by the. spring 54 into engagement with a radial abutment 56a on a member 56 which is rotatably mounted on the shaft 41. The member 56 is secured to a wormwheel 57 engaged by a worm 58 on an adjustment spindle 59. The adjustment spindle 59 is fitted with a control knob (not shown) for manually adjusting the position of the abutment 56a.

Referring to FIGURE 3 the electrical control circuit comprises first and second terminals 60 and 61 connected by a series circuit including the normally closed micro switch 51, the coil 62 of a relay and a set of normally open latching contacts 62a controlled by the relay coil 62. The contacts 62a are bridged by a normally open switch 63 which may be manually operable or which may be operable by a conveyor (not shown) carrying containers to and from the machine. The control clutch coil 46 bridges the microswitch 51 and the relay coil 62. Also connected across the terminals 60, 61 in parallel with said series circuit is a further series circuit including the normally closed contacts of a switch 62b controlled by the relay coil 62 and the brake coil 24a. The normally open contacts of the switch Zb are connected in a-circuit containing normally closed contacts ofthe microswitch 52 and the fast speed clutch coil Sun The normally open contacts of the microswitch 52 are connected to the slow speed clutch coil 9a.

In use, when a container is in position beneath the outlet tube 2, the switch 63 is actuated so that the relay coil s2 is energised through microswitch 51 and latched by contacts 62a. The fast speed clutch 3a. is thus energised through the switch 6% and the microswitch 52. The control clutch 46 is simultaneously energised so that the shaft 7 and the shaft 41 are both rotated by the motor 14. Thus the feed-screw 3 is rotated relatively rapidly for a predetermined number of turns determined by the setting of the cam 50 and the member 56. When the microswitch 52 is actuated the slow speed clutch 9a is energised through the switch 62b and the microswitch 52 so that filling continues at a relatively slow speed. When the microswitch 51 is actuated the relay coil 62 is tie-energised and the control switch @215 returns to its normal position so that the brake coil 24a is energised and the feed-screw is brought to rest. Simultaneously the latching contacts 62a are opened so that the control clutch coil 46 is de-energised, thus permitting the spring 54 to return the shaft 41 to its datum position.

The datum position of the shaft 41 is adjustable by means of the adjustment spindle 59, thus providing a coarse adjustment of the amount of material delivered from the hopper at the relatively fast speed. Fine adjustment may be effected by varying the relative orientation of the cams 49, 59 to control the duration of the slow speed feed period.

It will be appreciated that where, as in the above described example, the timing mechanism is driven by the output side of the clutches 8 and 9 the accuracy of delivery of material is not effected by slipping in the clutches 8 and 9. In this connection it is pointed out that slipping in the control clutch (d5, 46, 47) is less likely since the load on the control clutch is provided mainly by the loading of the spring 54 and by light frictional loads.

The invention may also be applied to a machine where in the feeding mechanism includes only a single clutch. In this case the microswitch 52 and associated cam 5 3 are omitted so that the relay controlled switch 62b effects energisation of the clutch coil or the brake coil depending upon whether the relay 62 is energised or not respectively.

In the above described embodiment the stirring mechanism is driven intermittently by the shaft '7, but the stirring mechanism may, if desired, by driven continuously by the motor or by a separate motor.

Moreover three or more clutches may be provided in the feeding mechanism to provide a like number of feeding stages. in this case alike number of cam-operated switches are included in the timing mechanism. Where two or more clutches providing different rates of speeds are provided separate motors may, if required, be provided for driving the input members of the clutches.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

i 1. A fillingmachine comprising a hopper, mechanism for stirring material in the hopper, a motor, means connecting said motor to the stirring mechanism, an outlet on said hopper, rotary feeding mechanism in the hopper for feeding material therefrom, drive means connecting said feeding mechanism to said motor, said drive means including a pair of clutches each having an input member and an output member connected to the feeding mechanism, means connecting the input members to the motor whereby said input members are driven at high speed and low speed respectively and means for successively actuating said clutches whereby in each cycle of operation the clutch having the high speed input member is actuated before the clutch having the low speed input member.

2. A filling machine comprising a hopper, mechanism for stirring material in the hopper, a motor, means driv- 4 ingly connecting said motor to said stirring mechanism, an outlet on the hopper, rotary feeding mechanism in the hopper for feeding material therefrom, a shaft, means mounting said shaft for rotation, means drivingly connecting said shaft to said feeding mechanism, a pair of clutches each having an output member secured to said shaft and each having an input member, means drivingly connecting said input members to the motor whereby the input members are driven by the motor at a high .speed and a low speed respectively, and means for successively actuating said clutches whereby in each cycle of operation the clutch having the high speed input member is actuated before the clutch having the low speed input member.

3. A filling machine comprising a hopper, mechanism for stirring material in the hopper, a motor, means drivingly connecting said motor to said stirring mechanism, an outlet on the hopper, rotary feeding mechanism in the hopper for feeding material therefrom, a shaft, means mounting said shaft for rotation, means drivingly connecting said shaft to said feeding mechanism, a pair of clutches each having an output member secured to said shaft, and each having an input member, means mounting said input member for rotation on said shaft, means drivingly connecting said input members to the motor whereby the input members are driven by the motor at a high speed and a low speed respectively, and means for successively actuating said clutches whereby in each cycle of operation the clutch having the high speed input memher is actuated before the clutch having the low speed input member.

4. A filling machine comprising a hopper, mechanism for stirring material in the hopper, a motor, means driviugly connecting said motor to said stirring mechanism, an outlet on the hopper, rotary feeding mechanism in the hopper for feeding material therefrom, a shaft, means mounting said shaft for rotation, means drivingly connecting said shaft to said feeding mechanism, a pair of clutches each having an output member secured to said shaft, and each having an input member, means mounting said input members for rotation on said shaft, means drivingly connecting said input members to the motor whereby said input members are driven by the motor at a high speed and a low speed respectively, a timing mechanism for successively actuating said clutches whereby in each cycle of operation the clutch having the high speed input member is actuated before the clutch having the low speed input member, and means drivingly connecting said timing mechanism to said shaft.

5. A filling machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said timing mechanism comprises a control clutch having an 7 input member, drivingly connected as aforesaid to said shaft, and an output member, a timing mechanism shaft secured to said output member, means supporting said timing mechanism shaft for rotary movement, means on said timing mechanism shaft for controlling the clutches and resilient means urging said timing mechanism shaft towards a datum position to which it is returned at the completion of each cycle when the control clutch is disengaged.

6. A filling machine comprising a support, a hopper mounted on said support and having an outlet, a screw feed mechanism, means mounting said screw feed mechanism for rotation on a vertical axis whereby material is discharged from the hopper outlet, a horizontal shaft, means mounting said horizontal shaft for rotary movement, gear means drivingly connecting said horizontal shaft to said screw feed mechanism, first and second electromagnetic clutches each having an output member secured to said shaft and each having an input member, means mounting said input members for rotary movement relative to the shaft, a motor mounted on the support and having a rotary shaft, means drivingly connecting the motor shaft to the input member of the first clutch, means drivingly connecting the motor shaft to the input member of the second clutch and adapted to drive the input member of the second clutch at a rotary speed greater than that of the input member of the first clutch, stirring mechanism for stirring material in the hopper, means mounting said stirring mechanism for rotation about an axis co-axial with the rotary axis of the screw feed mechanism, reduction gear means drivingly connecting said horizontal shaft to said stirring mechanism, an electromagnetically operable brake having a stationary member secured to said support'and a rotary member secured to said horizontal shaft, a control clutch having an input member and an output member, means drivingly connecting said control clutch input member to said horizontal shaft, a timing mechanism shaft secured to said control clutch output member, means mounting said timing mechanism shaft for rotary movement, resilient means urging said timing mechanism shaft to a datum position, adjustable stop means determining said datum position, a first cam secured to the timing mechanism shaft, a first switch actuable by said first cam and adapted on actuation to de- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,324,767 Cote July 20, 1943 2,330,862 Bleam Oct. 5, 1943 2,532,913 Higginbottom Dec. 5, 1950 2,641,384 Mateer June 9, 1953 2,767,743 Kindseth Oct. 23, 1956 2,778,387 Diehl Jan. 22, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 113.060 Sweden Jan. 30, 1945 

1. A FILLING MACHINE COMPRISING A HOPPER, MECHANISM FOR STIRRING MATERIAL IN THE HOPPER, A MOTOR, MEANS CONNECTING SAID MOTOR TO THE STIRRING MECHANISM, AN OUTLET ON SAID HOPPER, ROTARY FEEDING MECHANISM IN THE HOPPER FOR FEEDING MATERIAL THEREFROM, DRIVE MEANS CONNECTING SAID FEEDING MECHANISM TO SAID MOTOR, SAID DRIVE MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF CLUTCHES EACH HAVING AN INPUT MEMBER AND AN OUTPUT MEMBER CONNECTED TO THE FEEDING MECHANISM, MEANS CONNECTING THE INPUT MEMBERS TO THE MOTOR WHEREBY SAID INPUT MEMBERS ARE DRIVEN AT HIGH SPEED AND LOW SPEED RESPECTIVELY AND MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVELY ACTUATING SAID CLUTCHES WHEREBY IN EACH CYCLE OF OPERATION THE CLUTCH HAVING THE HIGH SPEED INPUT MEMBER IS ACTUATED BEFORE THE CLUTCH HAVING THE LOW SPEED INPUT MEMBER. 